Travel in the United Kingdom

Gap Years in the UK

The United Kingdom is a country filled with the busy cities of London and Manchester, the valleys and mountains of Wales, the lochs of Scotland, and the bar crawls of Northern Island. There is so much to do in the UK, you’ll be thankful that everything is just a short distance away.

In London you can view the old buildings of Oxford Street and Convent Garden in the shadow of the modern London Eye and The Shard. Spend your days shopping in the highstreet and designer stores, or the quirky Camden markets, rebooting in one of London’s many world cuisine restaurants. Of course, you can’t go without visiting the home of the Royal Family at Buckingham Palace. Other historically beautifully towns which should not be missed are Oxford and Cambridge.

To go further back in time, there’s only one place to go, and that’s to see that Unesco World Heritage site of Stone Henge, in Wiltshire. Believed to have been built from 2000 BC to 3000 BC, this circle of standing stones has become an archaeological wonder and is definitely worth a visit if you’re into your history.

For a breath of fresh air, head to the stunning landscapes of Wales. The Brecon Beacons NP can be explored on foot, bike, or horseback to uncover its forests, caves and canals. Snowdonia National Park is home to Wale’s highest mountain which can be reached by vintage steam train.

In Northern Island you can experience that wild night-life of Dublin, and cure your hangover at the Guinness Brewery. Game of Thrones fans can get their fill of historical fantasy by going on a tour which visits the award-winning TV show’s filming locations, and adrenaline seekers can head to Sperrins for hover crafting, zorbing, and zip lining.

If you’re in the UK around New Year, then a trip up to Scotland to celebrate Hogmanay should not go a miss. The whole of Scotland comes alive with festivals, fireworks and friendly locals to see in the New Year.

Well, we did warn you that there was a lot to do!

Backpacking in the UK

Advice

As a major gap year destination the UK plays host to thousands of gappers from all over the world. To help you all to make the most of your time in the UK we've put together selection of things to do, places to go, festivals to attend and even travel advice for exploring the rest of this great continent.

Map of United Kingdom

Idea of the Month

UK Fact!

The world's first modern Olympic Games were not held in Athens in 1896, but in the small town of Much Wenlock (Shropshire) in 1850, which inspired French Baron Pierre Coubertin to launch the Athens Olympics half a century later.